LEGO Club!

Calling all LEGO fans!
Don't miss LEGO Club in Children's Services at the downtown library!
Come and join other LEGO-loving kids and build to your hearts content.We have lots and lots and lots of bricks, so don't be shy!

Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 24:
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. (for homeschoolers)
3:30 - 5:00 p.m. (for all kids ages 6-11)

Great news about LEGO club -- during the summer,we'll be offering this super-cool program
EVERY WEEK at the downtown library!
Beginning June 15 and continuing through August 17, 2011, LEGO Club will be offered every Wednesday from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
So take some time during the summer to get out of the heat, visit us at the library and have some creative-building fun!

A Little Library Love

We love it when our customers share their art with us.
Here's a piece that really touched our hearts!

Thanks, Carly, for the great picture of the Children's Department!
We're glad you enjoy visiting us!

Cherry Blossom Festival - this weekend!

Don't miss the Cherry Blossom Festival,
taking place at the Main Library in downtown Fort Wayne
tonight and tomorrow -- May 14th & 15th!

Saturday's schedule includes Japanese anime films and live Japanese music. Sunday's activities include kamishibai storytelling, origami, and Japanese children's games. There are events appropriate for all ages!


For more information, including the schedule of events, see Japan in Fort Wayne.com.

Children's Choice Book Awards

The Children's Choice Book Award winners were announced on May 2, as a kick-off to last week's Children's Book Week. Over 500,000 votes were collected from children from all over the United States! Winners included...

Author of the Year
Rick Riordan, for The Lost Hero, Book 1 in the Heroes of Olympus series









Illustrator of the Year
David Wiesner, for Art and Max








For a complete list of winners and more information about the Children's Choice Awards, see the Children's Book Week website.

2011 Summer Reading Program

Suspense is building! Preparations are being made! Let the countdown begin for this year's Children's Summer Reading Program:





The summer reading fun starts on Monday, June 6. Watch this video for a sneak preview of what's coming, and look for information soon at a library near you!

Surprise Author Visit!!

We were thrilled today to have a surprise guest visit us at the library! Author David Elliott was in the area visiting a school, and decided to drop in and say "Hello!" To say we were pleasantly surprised is an understatement!

David Elliott is the author of many great books, including In the Wild, a book of animal poems. In the Wild was listed on last year's Mock Caldecott reading list, which highlights the best picture books published each year.

Thanks for visiting, Mr. Elliott! And thanks for writing such wonderful books for children!

Happy Birthday Beverly Cleary

A belated happy birthday wish goes out to children's author Beverly Cleary, who turned 95 on April 12 this year! Her wonderful stories have stood the test of time, remaining favorites through generations. Here's an article from the New York Times, singing Ms. Cleary's well-deserved praises.













I can remember my third grade teacher reading Ramona Quimby to our class, and favorites of my own children were Ralph S. Mouse and The Mouse and the Motorcycle. What are your favorite Beverly Cleary titles?